Estimation of the total antioxidant capacity of whole blood in patients with chronic periodontitis using the Nitroblue Tetrazolium reduction test

  Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) not only play an important role in metabolic processes & cell signalling but are also thought to be implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of inflammatory disorders including periodontitis.  The aim of this study was to investigate the total antioxidant capacity in whole blood in patients with and without chronic periodontitis. Methods: Thirty non smoking volunteers (16 males and 14 females) consisting 15 subjects with chronic periodontitis, & 15 subjects with healthy periodontium with age ranging between 18-40 yrs were included in this study. After clinical measurement and samplings, total antioxidant capacity in whole blood was assessed using Nitroblue Tetrazolium reduction test. Results: The total antioxidant capacity in whole blood in patients with periodontitis was significantly (p<0.005) lower than in healthy subjects. Conclusions: The present study raise the necessity to search whether this reduced antioxidant defence reflects inherent deficiencies predisposing to periodontitis or a result from the inflammatory lesion which still remains unclear. Finally, the reduced total blood antioxidant status in periodontitis subjects warrants further investigation as it may provide a mechanistic link between periodontal disease and several other free radical-associated chronic inflammatory diseases. Key words: Chronic periodontitis, antioxidant, total antioxidant Capacity, oxidative stress, nitroblue tetrazoliu